Oven-bottom.



v PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907. F. v. KNAUSS. OVEN BOTTOM.

APPLICATION I'IBED MAR. 19, 1906.

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F. V- KNAUSS. OVEN BOTTOM.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 19, 1906.

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PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

UNTTn STATES ATENT Truce.

OVEN-BOTTOM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 19, 1907.

Application filed March 19, 1906. Serial No. 306.825.

To a whom, [it new concern.-

Its use in this connection is therefore new Be it known that I, FRANK V. KNAUSS, a and novel.

citizen of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Scioto and durable cast-iron The object of the invention is to provide a bottom so constructed as State of Ohio, have invented certain new and to avoid cracking when subjected to high useful Improvements in Oven-Bottoms, of heat, and thereby obtain a level which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved ovenbottom for steel -ranges and cook stoves. Oven-bottoms for this purpose have hitherto been made of sheet metal, usually of sheetsteel. Such oven-bottoms buckle or warp, thereby causing an uneven bottom, due to the high heat to which the bottom of the oven is subjected and then cooling down. As a consequence they contract and expand unevenly,

and as aresult of the uneven condition of the oven-bottom the pans do not set level, nor do their entire under surfaces come in contact with the oven-plate, and the articles are baked unevenly. If the oven-bottom is uneven, the contents of the pans are apt to spill. The uneven baking is a very serious objection.

Heretofore efforts have been made to overcome these defects by riveting or bolting strips or braces of different kinds and shapes to the under side of the oven-bottom plate; but this mode is objectionable because the spaces between the braces buckle if the braces are sufficiently wide apart to not interfere with the bakingqualities of the range. It is absolutely essential to good and economical baking that the oven-bottom be made of thin material practically of uniform thickness. For this reason heavy plates cannot be used to gain strength, and any excessive bracing is objectionable. For the same reason the oven will not heat readily on the bottom. Sheet-steel or wrought-iron has hitherto been used for steel-range oven-bottoms and sometimes for oven-bottoms in cast-iron ranges, because the cast-iron ovenbottoms commonly used in cast-iron cook-stoves and ranges are liable to crack when unevenly heated. While a cast-iron plate is liable to crack, it has the merit of being stiff and is not at all liable to buckle, like the steel or wrought-iron plate. Because of this liability to crack from uneven expansion when heated and also because cast-iron does not expand and contract as much as steel, it has never been used as or considered a material for an l oven-bottom in a steel range. Again, castiron does not rust nearly as much as sheet.

1) represents and durable cast-iron oven-bottom.

The features of my invention are more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal transverse section of an ordinary cooking-range, showing the oven-plate in plan. Fig. 2 is a section on line a: :r, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 11 (y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the sectional parts of the oven-plate.

a represents the front wall of the range. the back wall of the range.

a (Z represent the side walls of the range.

A represents the fire-box chamber.

B represents the down-flue at the side of the oven.

represents the offtake-flue for the exit of gases passing under the oven.

D represents the flue under. the oven.

E represents the sectional cast-iron plates which are united to form the oven-plate.

As shown, four sections 1 2 3 4 are preferably provided. These sections are preferably constructed as follows: Section 1 is provided. at its two abutting edges with a lip 5 and a groove 6. Section 2 is provided with similar joint portions. Sections 3 4 are provided with a downwardly-projecting lip 7, as shown in Fig. 3. At each of their abutting edges said lips rest in the grooves 6 of the adjoining section and are narrower than. the grooves, so as to allow for contraction and expansion of the sections when they are joined together and form a tight joint.

m represents the bolts passing through the holes n in the plates and firmly uniting the parts together, said openings at being sufficiently large to permit of relative movement of the adjacent sections, while said sections are bolted together by bolts m.

In order to attach the plates in position, the plates 2 and 3 are each provided with upturned flanges 10 at their outer edges, which are pierced with holes to receive bolts 8 to atl tach them to the sides of the oven.

Plates 1 and 4 are provided with downturned flanges 11, similarly constructed for uniting the said sections to the front and partition walls, respectively.

12 represents a partition-strip projected from the rear wall across under the oven plate, so as to properly direct the products the down-flue around of combustion from under the oven-plate to the uptake. The turning up of the plates 2 and 3 prevents the obstruction of the fines.

I have found by experience that cast-iron oven-plates made in sections, connected together and to the walls of the even, as herein shown, overcome the objections encountered in the use of sheet-metal oven-plates and are more durable.

l/Vhen the sections are made as herein shown and described, quite thin cast-iron plates may be employed and obtain uniform heating and good baking results.

The several sections of the oven-bottom, as shown in the drawing, are of V shape, the oven being shown as square. The objects in making the sections of this shape are as fol lows: First, the base of each section is of the same dimensions as the oven-walls to which they are respectively attached; second, the line of joints extending from corner to corner diagonally across the square, thus saving a joint between the corners of. the wall and making a firm support for the thin plate riveted to the wall. Again, the expansion is better provided for by the grooves in the joint, and the expansion of the connectingbolts allows the lost motion by contraction and expansion of the several sections, being substantially V-shaped and coming together at a central point.

I have found by practice that these castiron sections so constructed overcome the difficulties hereinbefore specified and furnish a l I l i l I l l l j i durable and uniform heating-plate with very little liability of cracking even when made of very thin cast metal.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. An ovcn-platc comprising jointed triangular seotions arranged in corresponding pairs oppositely disposed, the edges of one pair having grooved flanges adapted to re ceive the edges of the adjacent pair, and means for holding the sections together.

2. An oven-plate comprising jointed sections, the edge of one section having a grooved flange adapted to receive the edge of the adjoining section, incans for holding the sections together, and means for holding the oven-plate in position.

3. An oven-plate comprising jointed sections, the edge of one section having a grooved flange, the edge of the adjoining section having a lip of less width than said groove and adapted to lit within the groove to permit of expansion of the sections, and means for holding the sections together.

4. An oven-plate comprising a pluralil y of triangular sections arranged in pairs oppositely disposed, the edges of one pair being provided with grooved flanges, the edges of the adjacent sections having lips of less width than said grooves and adapted to be secured within the grooves and permit of expansion of the sections, and the bases of said triangular sections being coextensive with the oven-walls and adapted to be secured thereto.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK V. KNAUSS. Witnesses:

FLOYD L. SMITH, ROBERT E. ALvEn'r. 

